Schools closed April 21

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We came from out of state with supposedly lower standard public schools. Then I realized no one actually goes to school here. We were fortunate enough for them to get into a private school next year.

BYE!

[Anonymous]

I’ve marked it on my calendar! Thanks for the update!

[Anonymous]

Isn’t that right before ap testing starts?

[Anonymous]

Is this DCUM hysteria or is school actually closed on 4/21? I don’t see anything online and didn’t get an email.

DD has an appointment on 4/20 and I can easily move it to 4/21 so she doesn’t miss school if they are closed! I’m more concerned with adjusting my work schedule and would like to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t that right before ap testing starts?

2 weeks before the first test.

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/exam-dates

I’m done with content by spring break each year in my AP class. April is just review.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this DCUM hysteria or is school actually closed on 4/21? I don’t see anything online and didn’t get an email.

DD has an appointment on 4/20 and I can easily move it to 4/21 so she doesn’t miss school if they are closed! I’m more concerned with adjusting my work schedule and would like to know.

It was confirmed internally in the superintendent/teacher advisory council meeting this past week. Move the appointment!

Quote:

Dr. Reid: “Last Thursday, we got a note from the elections board that there WILL be an election on April 21 on a constitutional amendment. The primary scheduled for June has been moved to August 4. April 21 will become a teacher workday, working from an alternate location is acceptable.”

[Anonymous]

This is ridiculous. Is it really unsafe to go forward with the voting while schools in session?
-teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous. Is it really unsafe to go forward with the voting while schools in session?
-teacher

Seriously?? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this DCUM hysteria or is school actually closed on 4/21? I don’t see anything online and didn’t get an email.

DD has an appointment on 4/20 and I can easily move it to 4/21 so she doesn’t miss school if they are closed! I’m more concerned with adjusting my work schedule and would like to know.

It was confirmed internally in the superintendent/teacher advisory council meeting this past week. Move the appointment!

Quote:

Dr. Reid: “Last Thursday, we got a note from the elections board that there WILL be an election on April 21 on a constitutional amendment. The primary scheduled for June has been moved to August 4. April 21 will become a teacher workday, working from an alternate location is acceptable.”

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous. Is it really unsafe to go forward with the voting while schools in session?
-teacher

This reminds me so much of people trying to come up with alternative solutions during COVID and just being told that nothing was possible, there are no solutions other than schools remaining closed.

At my kids’ school (elementary), voting is done in the cafeteria in the front of the school and voters use the main front entrance. There is no real reason why they couldn’t use the gym toward the rear of the school, which has its own entrance/exit (an emergency exit, so would have to be disabled but I know this is possible as events are sometimes set up in the gym and can be loaded directly from the blacktop outside). Close the doors from the gym to the school hallway. People come in to the gym directly from school grounds and leave out the same door. Cancel PE classes for that one day, or have them meet outside, weather permitting, or have them do health activities in the classroom. Kids can still eat in the cafeteria which I know is important as we have about a 20% FARMS rate. An elections official can monitor the entrance and exit, and elections officials could use dividers and signs to point the way as it will be different than usual.

There are solutions - they just don’t want to do the work to do them because it’s far easier to close the schools. With most people voting early these days, turnout at these special elections is quite low anyway. I checked and for the 2025 general election - obviously a much larger election than the one coming up in April - we had less than 1000 votes cast on Election Day. The ballot measure will probably have half that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this DCUM hysteria or is school actually closed on 4/21? I don’t see anything online and didn’t get an email.

DD has an appointment on 4/20 and I can easily move it to 4/21 so she doesn’t miss school if they are closed! I’m more concerned with adjusting my work schedule and would like to know.

It was confirmed internally in the superintendent/teacher advisory council meeting this past week. Move the appointment!

Quote:

Dr. Reid: “Last Thursday, we got a note from the elections board that there WILL be an election on April 21 on a constitutional amendment. The primary scheduled for June has been moved to August 4. April 21 will become a teacher workday, working from an alternate location is acceptable.”

A vote on a constitutional amendment that has been blocked repeatedly. What a waste of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We came from out of state with supposedly lower standard public schools. Then I realized no one actually goes to school here. We were fortunate enough for them to get into a private school next year.

BYE!

I’ll pray for you that you acknowledge first your ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous. Is it really unsafe to go forward with the voting while schools in session?
-teacher

This reminds me so much of people trying to come up with alternative solutions during COVID and just being told that nothing was possible, there are no solutions other than schools remaining closed.

At my kids’ school (elementary), voting is done in the cafeteria in the front of the school and voters use the main front entrance. There is no real reason why they couldn’t use the gym toward the rear of the school, which has its own entrance/exit (an emergency exit, so would have to be disabled but I know this is possible as events are sometimes set up in the gym and can be loaded directly from the blacktop outside). Close the doors from the gym to the school hallway. People come in to the gym directly from school grounds and leave out the same door. Cancel PE classes for that one day, or have them meet outside, weather permitting, or have them do health activities in the classroom. Kids can still eat in the cafeteria which I know is important as we have about a 20% FARMS rate. An elections official can monitor the entrance and exit, and elections officials could use dividers and signs to point the way as it will be different than usual.

There are solutions - they just don’t want to do the work to do them because it’s far easier to close the schools. With most people voting early these days, turnout at these special elections is quite low anyway. I checked and for the 2025 general election - obviously a much larger election than the one coming up in April - we had less than 1000 votes cast on Election Day. The ballot measure will probably have half that.

Parking is also an issue. We cannot fit our full staff in our lot when school is in session. Many need to park on the street. Parking to vote would be a nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous. Is it really unsafe to go forward with the voting while schools in session?
-teacher

This reminds me so much of people trying to come up with alternative solutions during COVID and just being told that nothing was possible, there are no solutions other than schools remaining closed.

At my kids’ school (elementary), voting is done in the cafeteria in the front of the school and voters use the main front entrance. There is no real reason why they couldn’t use the gym toward the rear of the school, which has its own entrance/exit (an emergency exit, so would have to be disabled but I know this is possible as events are sometimes set up in the gym and can be loaded directly from the blacktop outside). Close the doors from the gym to the school hallway. People come in to the gym directly from school grounds and leave out the same door. Cancel PE classes for that one day, or have them meet outside, weather permitting, or have them do health activities in the classroom. Kids can still eat in the cafeteria which I know is important as we have about a 20% FARMS rate. An elections official can monitor the entrance and exit, and elections officials could use dividers and signs to point the way as it will be different than usual.

There are solutions - they just don’t want to do the work to do them because it’s far easier to close the schools. With most people voting early these days, turnout at these special elections is quite low anyway. I checked and for the 2025 general election - obviously a much larger election than the one coming up in April - we had less than 1000 votes cast on Election Day. The ballot measure will probably have half that.

Parking is also an issue. We cannot fit our full staff in our lot when school is in session. Many need to park on the street. Parking to vote would be a nightmare.

That’s on the voters and they make it work. Our middle school had voting a few weeks ago and a plan was made and it worked fine. I don’t know. As a teacher I’m incredibly frustrated with this calendar and getting done so late in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is ridiculous. Is it really unsafe to go forward with the voting while schools in session?
-teacher

This reminds me so much of people trying to come up with alternative solutions during COVID and just being told that nothing was possible, there are no solutions other than schools remaining closed.

At my kids’ school (elementary), voting is done in the cafeteria in the front of the school and voters use the main front entrance. There is no real reason why they couldn’t use the gym toward the rear of the school, which has its own entrance/exit (an emergency exit, so would have to be disabled but I know this is possible as events are sometimes set up in the gym and can be loaded directly from the blacktop outside). Close the doors from the gym to the school hallway. People come in to the gym directly from school grounds and leave out the same door. Cancel PE classes for that one day, or have them meet outside, weather permitting, or have them do health activities in the classroom. Kids can still eat in the cafeteria which I know is important as we have about a 20% FARMS rate. An elections official can monitor the entrance and exit, and elections officials could use dividers and signs to point the way as it will be different than usual.

There are solutions - they just don’t want to do the work to do them because it’s far easier to close the schools. With most people voting early these days, turnout at these special elections is quite low anyway. I checked and for the 2025 general election - obviously a much larger election than the one coming up in April - we had less than 1000 votes cast on Election Day. The ballot measure will probably have half that.

Parking is also an issue. We cannot fit our full staff in our lot when school is in session. Many need to park on the street. Parking to vote would be a nightmare.

Sure if it was a regular election, but we’re closed for those. Which makes sense. With this election there will probably be 500-600 people showing up on Election Day, ALL DAY from 7-7 or whenever it is. I always vote on ED and ever since early voting started in Virginia in 2016 or whenever it was, it’s always very slow. They could reserve a few spots in the parking lot for voters, or direct them to the bus loop between certain hours when no one is coming or going and after school. Or people or teachers might have to park in the neighborhoods. But I think they could make it work for an off-year, last minute midterm election on a ballot issue. This is not something that is going to attract huge crowds of voters.